Grillage for a boat

ABSTRACT

Reinforcing and flotation grillage for a boat of the fiberglass type. The grillage is configured complementary with the bilge interior, so as to define a plurality of longitudinally extended flotation compartments and includes air pressurized floats wedged into flotation compartments and laminate deck covering so that the boat is both strengthened and buoyed by grillage.

United States Patent Momany [4 1 May 23, 1972 [s41 GRILLAGE FOR A BOAT2,984,201 5/1961 Crabb ..9/3

- 3 435 470 4/1969 Krenzler..... l t N [72] ed K Mmmy 3,531,809 10/1970Hegg ..9/6 [73] Assignee: Winner Boats, Dickson, Tenn.

Primary Examiner-Andrew l-l. Farrell 2 Fl d. 20 1970 [2 1 l e JanAnorney-David H. Semmes [211 App]. No.: 4,284

. [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..9/6, 1 14/69 Reinforcing and flotationgriuage f a boat f the fibergiass [51] 43/10 type. The grillage isconfigured complementary with the bilge [58] heldof Search ..9/6, 3; 14/68, 69 interior, so as to define a plurality of longitudinany extendedflotation compartments and includes air pressurized floats [56]References Cited wedged into flotation compartments and laminate deckcover- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing so that the boat is both strengthenedand buoyed by grilla e.

1,842,275 1/1932 Leidner ..9/3 g 2,720,662 10/1955 O'Bannon .....9/3 X 3Claims, 8 Drawing figures Patented May 23, 1972 3,663,976

2 Sheets-Shee 1 INVENTOR 0440 ,e. Maw/My BY KVM MW ATTORNEY PatentedMay-23, 1972 3,663,976

2 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR WM/21M ATTORNEY GRILLAGE FOR A BOAT BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates tobuoyant watercraft, particularly a molded fiberglass construction havinga hull-defining bilge, gunwhale, bow, and stem portions. A great deal ofrecent attention has been given to reinforcing the relatively thinfiberglass hulls, so as to provide a more rigid and buoyant constructionwhich can withstand the stresses placed upon the hull during cruising.Earlier inventors have employed a plurality of half-round longitudinallyextending stringers and have forced polystyrene foam or the like intocompartments intermediate the stringers with the intent to provideflotation. The stringers are without lateral support and, consequently,do not provide the desired rigidity. The foam is objectionable becauseit becomes watersoaked to the extent that its flotation characteristicscannot even be estimated.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior inventors, while attacking theproblem of strengthening the fiberglass hull, have not developed astringer or grid which is capable of totally reinforcing the hull.Applicant's invention is applicable to any number of fiberglass hullconstructions and comprises a single molded piece of fiberglass that iswelded into the hull so as to provide flotation compartments which areessentially stressed with air-pressurized floats. As a result, there isnothing to deteriorate, become water-soaked, or lose shape inside thehull, and the boat planing surface is rigidly reinforced over a broadarea.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION bonded in place. With the cockpit deck inplace, a load-bearing truss is formed which spreads any forces on theplaning surface over the entire hull, making it many times stronger, aswell as buoyant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view ofthe grillage prior to the insertion of the flotation elements andinsertion within the hull;

FIG. 2 is a like perspective, showing the air-pressurized bottom floatswedged into the grillage flotation compartments;

FIG. 3 is a like perspective, showing the individual floats secured toone another by means of fiberglass mats 40 and 42, extendinglongitudinally over the floats;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, showing the grillage in place within thebilge and covered by the fiberglass and plywood or deck;

FIG. 5 is a similar perspective, showing the grillage in place prior tothe insertion of the top floats;

FIG. 6 is a like perspective, showing the placing of the top flotationelements;

FIG. 7 is a reduced perspective, partially in section, showing theplacing of the gunwhale upright floats; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, showing the bondingof the grillage and flotation elements beneath thefiberglass-plywood-fiberglass deck.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, grillage structure10 is illustrated as having peripheral flanges 28 engageable with thatportion of the bilge Also, there will be defined a center line bowflotation compartment 12 and a stern well 30, havrng inwardly extendingflanges 54 and 56.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of trapezoid-shaped,airpressurized flotation elements 32, having narrow top 34 and broadenedbottom 36 may be press-fitted into the longitudinal flotationcompartment. A rectangular shaped, air-pressurized float 38 may bepositioned in the bow compartment. All floats 32 and 38 are then securedto each other by a fiberglass mat 40 and 42 bonded to both the floatsand the grillage, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The construction may then beinserted into the bilge as in FIG. 5, flanges 28 being secured to thebilge portions 44 and 46 by bonding. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6, theremaining flotation elements 32 are inserted and the entire constructionmay be covered with a deck bond consisting of an initial fiberglass matlayer 48, an intermediate plywood layer 50, and a final bondedfiberglass mat 52 to achieve the appearance shown in FIG. 8.

In addition to the air-pressurized floats 32 and 38, an uprightflotation characteristic may be obtained by positioning the floats inthe freeboard, transome, and cockpit fore panel. As will be apparent,damage to one or more of the floats will not impair the over-all buoyantcharacteristics of the boat and the grid, itself, while enhancingflotation also rigidizes the entire planing surface of the boat.Manifestly, variations in position of the grillage and float elementsmay be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. Grillage for a boat of the type having a hull including, bilge,gunwale, bow, and stem portions, dividing a cockpit, comprising:

A. a grid complementally conformed and having:

i. a peripheral flange, and

ii. a plurality of longitudinally extending flotation compartments beingalternately opened to said bulge interior and said cockpit, so as tosupport air pressurized floats above and beneath said grid and saidlongitudinally extending compartments being balanced with each other oneither side of the boats center line;

B. a plurality of independent, air pressurized floats supported withinthe flotation compartments, so as to extend parellelly with the centerline of said boat, said floats being trapezoidal in cross-section, so asto be wedged into said longitudinally extending compartments within saidbilge and stern portions;

C. a sternwell compartment disposed across the center line of saidboats;

D. a fiberglass mat covering pressurized floats within saidlongitudinally extending and sternwell compartments;

E. a deck covering for the top of said grillage including:

i. a fiberglass mat secured at its periphery to engage said bilge andsaid flange and secured at its median portions to said grillage and saidpressurized floats;

ii. a plywood sheeting secured on top of said mat and configured to saidbilge interior; and

iii. a fiberglass mat secured above said plywood sheeting and againstsaid bilge so that said grillage, pressurized floats, said deckcovering, and said bilge are unitary;

F. a center line flotation compartment longitudinally extending from thebow to said sternwell and being deeper than said other compartments, soas to accommodate a deeper pressurized float.

2. Grillage for a boat as in claim 1, including in said bow, center linefloats of rectangular cross-section, positioned so that their flatsurfaces extend vertically parallel to the center line of said boat.

3. Grillage for a boat in claim 1, including a plurality of trapezoidalfloats mounted in the gunwales of said boat and peripherally fore andaft of the boat cockpit, so as to provide upright flotationcharacteristics.

with the bilge interior

1. Grillage for a boat of the type having a hull including, bilge,gunwale, bow, and stern portions, dividing a cockpit, comprising: A. agrid complementally conformed with the bilge interior and having: i. aperipheral flange, and ii. a plurality of longitudinally extendingflotation compartments being alternately opened to said bulge interiorand said cockpit, so as to support air pressurized floats above andbeneath said grid and said longitudinally extending compartments beingbalanced with each other on either side of the boat''s center line; B. aplurality of independent, air pressurized floats supported within theflotation compartments, so as to extend parellelly with the center lineof said boat, said floats being trapezoidal in cross-section, so as tobe wedged into said longitudinally extending compartments within saidbilge and stern portions; C. a sternwell compartment disposed across thecenter line of said boats; D. a fiberglass mat covering pressurizedfloats within said longitudinally extending and sternwell compartments;E. a deck covering for the top of said grillage including: i. afiberglass mat secured at its periphery to engage said bilge and saidflange and secured at its median portions to said grillage and saidpressurized floats; ii. a plywood sheeting secured on top of said matand configured to said bilge interior; and iii. a fiberglass mat securedabove said plywood sheeting and against said bilge so that saidgrillage, pressurized floats, said deck covering, and said bilge areunitary; F. a center line flotation compartment longitudinally extendingfrom the bow to said sternwell and being deeper than said othercompartments, so as to accommodate a deeper pressurized float. 2.Grillage for a boat as in claim 1, including in said bow, center linefloats of rectanguLar cross-section, positioned so that their flatsurfaces extend vertically parallel to the center line of said boat. 3.Grillage for a boat in claim 1, including a plurality of trapezoidalfloats mounted in the gunwales of said boat and peripherally fore andaft of the boat cockpit, so as to provide upright flotationcharacteristics.